Perfect Soldiers
by Amora
Summary: A/U What if James worked for the Enclave from the beginning not knowing the sinister plot of President Eden?  What if he mistakenly thought they were the best hope for humanity?  What if the Lone Wanderer is an Enclave Soldier...
1. Imperfection

_Fallout and all canon characters are owned by Bethesda Softworks. No money or compensation is made from this story._

**PERFECT SOLDIERS**** a Fallout 3 A/U fanfiction. POV: 1****st**** Person LW**

**Summary: What if James worked for the Enclave from the beginning not knowing the sinister plot of President Eden? What if he mistakenly thought they were the best hope for humanity and the best shot at fulfilling his wife's dream? What if the Lone Wanderer is a Soldier of the Enclave…**

**Chapter 1: Imperfection**

**Capital Wasteland near SatCom Array NW-07c 14 Aug 2278**

"Get Down!" I screamed at one of my squad members who was currently frozen in fear from the monstrosity taking a swing at him. Without a second thought, I use all my strength to push him out of the way of a rapidly descending deathclaw hand aiming to cleave him in two. The huge claw misses him by inches but catches my left arm in mid shove. Holy shit that hurt! My guardian angel must be looking out for me as I didn't lose an arm, but I knew I had at least one fracture in my ulna bone.

Plasma and lasers continued to bounce off the tough hide of the beast with little to no effect. He just shrugged it off and eyed me like I was his next meal. Raising his claw for the killing blow, I knew it was now or never. Gritting my teeth in pain and concentration, I pulled my head back and delivered the strongest head-butt I could. The deathclaw's head snapped back and he lost all forward momentum of his killing lunge. Perhaps I knocked some teeth loose with my modified hellfire helmet?

Wasting no time, I stuck my laser pistol right into his open mouth and pulled the trigger. He let out blood curling scream but I didn't even pause before draining my entire energy cell into his brain. By the fifth shot, lasers were coming out of the back of his head, and by the time I heard the distinct sound of an empty charge, the deathclaw was missing half his skull and starting to fall forward. Oh crap…

I had no time to jump out of the way as the dead creature fell forward in death and pinned me against a boulder I had been leaning on for support. With a broken left arm and adrenaline quickly leaving my body, I didn't have the strength to heave the heavy carcass off. Luckily my squad came over to assist and hauled the creature off of me.

"Captain Grant!" One of the Soldiers yelled while I was freed. My head spun and I couldn't quite make out who was calling my name. "Sir! Are you all right?" It was only then that I could make out who it was. My Non-Commissioned Officer, Sargent Brian Epstein was leaning over my prone form examining me for wounds. He didn't find any but it was always hard to confirm injuries through the thick armor we wore.

"I'm fine. Probably just have a broken arm." I chuckle darkly as I stand up with his assistance. Two other members of my squad are examining the dead creature while the rest were pulling perimeter security. Without moving my hurt arm too much, I reloaded my laser pistol before placing it back in its holster. Others might laugh at me for choosing such a weak weapon to guard my life, but they don't know the countless hours I've spent tinkering with and upgrading it. By scrounging around the Enclave and wasteland in search of high quality parts, I've managed to create the ultimate weapon. Compact, lightweight, and more stopping power than a tri-beam laser rifle, this pistol is almost as dear to me as its namesake. _Catherine._

My name is Alexander Grant, and I've been a Soldier in training for as long as I can remember. Born in a place called Raven Rock, my allegiance has always been to the remnants of the United States Government and its sacred pledge to restore this country to greatness once again. I believe whole heartedly the message President Eden delivers in his weekly radio broadcasts about restoring communities, cities, and nations. Every day of my childhood was spent on the firing range, sword dueling arena, gym, or classroom.

Losing my mother to complications shortly after my birth was hard on everyone, but nobody took it worse than my father. He loved her with every fiber of his being, and sequestered himself in his quarters for a week after her passing while I was taken care of by the hospital staff. The doctor told me much later that my father emerged from his room a changed man who appeared to lose the spark of life. He walked over to my crib a week after I was born, picked me up, and hugged me to his chest. The doctor said he didn't stop crying until early the next morning.

My father now had two reasons to live: my mother's dream of pure clean non-irradiated water for everyone in the wasteland… and me. He threw himself into his work mind body and soul and dedicated his life to seeing her dream become a reality. Although spending every waking moment in his lab, he never turned away my company. Sometimes we would spend hours chatting about mundane things like mess hall food, my school work, or theories of how to accelerate and focus light particles in order to create a more potent laser weapon. My favorite topic of all, however, was my mother.

Just asking my father about his life partner and soul mate would bring tears to his eyes. I learned that she was a member of a group called the Followers of the Apocalypse out west. They dedicated themselves to improving lives, healing the sick, and caring for the unfortunate through any means possible. They weren't in it for the caps or fame and would never turn away someone down on their luck. When my father recalls stories about how the two of them would travel for weeks at a time through the vast dangers of the wasteland in order to ease suffering, I began to wonder if I could contribute to their legacy. The ethics and morals of the Followers would forever be engrained in my mind.

When I turned thirteen, my father explained my mother's dream in its entirety: Project Purity. For the last decade, my father had been working on how to purify irradiated water on a large scale. He was getting closer to a breakthrough and wanted to share this moment with me. "Son," he said with a sparkle in his eye that I hadn't seen in my life, "I want you to imagine something. Imagine a land where flowing clean water is as natural as the sun rising. Imagine a land where green grass grows outside of every house and flowers provide vibrant orange, purple, blue, and red colors to the wasteland. Imagine a world where men don't kill each other for caps to buy a bottle of water or drinking from a water source doesn't cause radiation sickness. This is the world your mother wanted for you. This is the world I want for you."

Closing my eyes to imagine such a paradise, I can almost see everything my dad is describing. Yes. My parents want that goal fulfilled, but more importantly, I want it too. I open my eyes to see my father's eyes misty as he hands me an old worn piece of paper. I recognize the words instantly. Mother's favorite bible passage…

_I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely._

"I want you to keep that close to your heart. Always remember, son, to do the hard right over the easy wrong. Always remember what your mother and I want for you and most importantly, never give up." I nodded solemnly at my father's words and left for class not knowing these would be the last words he would ever say to me. A failsafe circuit shorted that afternoon while he was working on the hydraulic pump of the mini purifier causing a nearby power generator to explode, killing him instantly.

My life came crashing down at my father's funeral where reality finally sank in that he was gone forever. Tears streamed down my face as one by one, scientists who worked with him came to offer their condolences and promise to continue his work. It was comforting to know that my parents' legacy would continue to be pursued by the Enclave's best and brightest.

I threw myself into military training and Soldier skills with a renewed passion. Even if the scientists completed their research as a token to my late father, it would take a team to implement it. The wasteland was extremely dangerous, and it would take a team of extremely combat effective Soldiers to transport and protect the Enclave researchers. I wanted to lead that team.

For the next five years, ever punch, sword strike, gut shot, bruise, and concussion I received reinforced my desire to be the best. I would not fail. I could not fail. I owed my parents at least that much. Enemies were burnt to ash by my laser pistol dedicated to my mother. Blade instructors surrendered before their heads were removed by my sword. My dedication and commitment allowed me to graduate at the top of my class. The proudest day of my life was when I received a commission in the remnants of the United States Army as a second lieutenant. I took charge of my squad and never looked back. That was two years ago.

"Thanks for saving my life sir." One of my men said bringing me back to the present. "I would've been split clean in half if you didn't push me out of the way." I wave off his thanks with casual ease. In the business I'm in, each man saves the life of a fellow squad member at least half a dozen times.

"Throw me a stimpack," I order the medic who instantly obliges. I catch the airborne syringe and inject it into my exposed skin by my wrist. It instantly works its healing miracles as I feel the sharp pain in my arm lessen into a dull ache. I might not even notice it by tomorrow.

"Alright, Jones and Moore keep perimeter security. Chang, see if you can scavenge anything useful from the deathclaw. Sergeant Epstein, you're in charge out here while I examine this SatCom Array. The rest of you on me!" I quickly give out orders and receive a chorus of "Yes sir!" and "Moving sir!"

Our current mission had my squad scavenge the remains of various SatCom Arrays in the wasteland for any useful communications equipment. Rumor was that the higher ups like Colonel Autumn wanted to establish a link with an actual working satellite still in orbit after 200 years. Upon entering the Array, I was disappointed in finding nothing but old HAM radios and computer parts. Certainly nothing that stood out. Shrugging to myself, I picked up a couple of sensor modules and scrap circuit parts. You never know when these things will come in handy. Searching the entire building from top to bottom confirmed my earlier suspicions that this SatCom Array didn't have anything worth mentioning in my report.

Suddenly my Radio Telephone Operator turned to me and held out a headset. "Sir, Colonel Autumn is on channel three. Line is secure." I nodded and removed my hellfire helmet to make room for the headset. Our internal headsets in our power armor helmets could only transmit a limited range and were used for squad internal messages and orders. After donning the headset, I gave the RTO a thumbs up.

"Good afternoon sir. This is Captain Grant." I say respectfully into the headset. Even after working under his command for two years, Colonel Augustus Autumn appeared no less of a cold hearted bastard than before. He was a brilliant military tactician and superb warrior. Unfortunately, he lacked all necessary people skills required for a man of his position. Cold and aloof, he didn't seem to care one bit about the men and women under his command.

"Captain, we have a new mission for you. Come by my office no later than 1800 hours today in order to be briefed. Your current mission will be handled by Sergeant Epstein. A vertibird is already dispatched to your current location to pick you up and will arrive in ten minutes. Autumn out." I took off the headset and stared at it for a couple of seconds before chuckling. Asshole didn't even give me a chance to acknowledge the order.

I handed the headset back to the RTO and told him to go find Sergeant Epstein. He nodded once and left leaving me alone to think about any contingency plans the squad would need in my absence. They shouldn't, as my second in command was a battle hardened veteran Soldier.

"Sir, you sent for me?" Sergeant Epstein said and stood at the position of attention. I waved his formality off casually.

"At ease. Apparently the boss wants me for a new mission and is recalling me to Raven Rock. You are going to be in charge while I'm gone. The current orders to search and secure all SatCom Arrays and recover communications equipment is still in effect. There are still two more in the area. NN-03d and NW-05a are already marked on your map. After recovering everything you can, you are to proceed back to Raven Rock and offload the equipment to the techies. Any questions?" I asked as I heard the telltale sound of a vertibird approaching our location.

"Negative sir. Good luck on your mission." He responds. I nod at him and turn to leave for the vertibird. It sets down no more than 50 meters outside the Array and I causally walk to it while waving goodbye to the rest of my squad. My stomach grumbles and I check my watch. 1515. If I hurry back I can grab a quick bite to eat at the mess hall before meeting with the cold hearted bastard.

**Raven Rock 14 Aug 2278 1750 Hours**

"Group, attention!" A new recruit yells after spotting me walk by. The rest of the recruits stand perfectly straight as they have been taught to do when an officer walks by.

"Carry on." I acknowledge and pass them. The food in the mess hall was especially atrocious today. Whose idea was it to serve cram sandwiches anyway? They needed to be drug out and shot in the face. I quickly approach Colonel Autumn's office and greet his receptionist. "Is the colonel here? I have an appointment with him."

"Yes sir. He's expecting you. Go on in." The middle aged lady replies and I proceed to knock on the door.

"Enter." His monosyllable answer is all the prompting I need to open the door and march in front of his desk before assuming the position of attention and saluting.

"Sir, Captain Grant reporting as ordered."

"At ease. Take a seat captain. This briefing might take a while." He gestures to the chair in front of his desk. I nod and take a seat giving him my full attention. "As you are no doubt interested in what the mission is, I will get straight to the point. We need you to infiltrate the wasteland and learn about their attitudes towards the Enclave."

"Sir?"

"I want you to learn how to act like a native who grew up in the wasteland. Under no circumstances are you to reveal your connections to this organization. Your primary objective is to ascertain whether they would be supportive of a resurgence of our forces. If not, I want you to… deal with any problems as you see fit so long as the support is gained in the end." The colonel stood up and walked over to a gigantic map of the entire capital wasteland. He pulled out a combat knife and proceeded to stab it into a marker labeled 'DC Capitol Building'.

"Take a look captain. This is what our country has been reduced to. Mutants hold the building of our legislature. Terrorists are heavily entrenched in our former military headquarters. Mutations and bandits terrorize every settlement without regard. We need to reclaim what is rightfully ours. And the first step is to eradicate the problems in our home."

"Sir, is there anything else you can tell me about my mission? Am I looking for something specific? How do I maintain communications with Raven Rock?" I asked unsure of how to proceed on a mission of this magnitude.

Colonel Autumn signed and returned to his desk. "I'll be honest with you." He said before sitting down. "The last few scouts we sent have been lost. This isn't a stroll in the park and you won't be able to count on the protection of your power armor. That's why I sent for you. You're the best we have with or without the added protection of advanced weapons and armor. Hell, you go out on missions armed with only a pea shooter."

I grinned inwardly about his reference to _Catherine_. He had no idea how many times the weapon in question had saved my life. "And the communications with Raven Rock?"

"Take this." He said while handing me what looked like a miniature wrist computer. "It's one of those damn computers that those spoiled vaulties always wear. It's been preprogrammed to interact with the various eyebots floating around the wasteland and open up secure communications directly here. This brings me to your second objective. You are to locate the renegade vault number 101. They've refused to cooperate with us and their Vault-Tec charter making them traitors to the nation. Find this Overseer Almodovar and deal with him like the traitor he is."

The gravity of the situation was finally sinking in. I would be operating alone without any Enclave support. Nobody at all to watch my back. I nodded grimly and attached the minicomputer to my left wrist.

"When do I leave?"

"Right now." The colonel ordered with finality. He then reached underneath his desk and picked up some clothes that looked like someone used it to wipe their ass. With a look of disgust, he tossed me the rags. "Put this on over any light armor you have. It'll be better for you blend in. Good luck captain."

"Thank you sir." I saluted and turned to leave his office. His next words stopped me in my tracks.

"Don't get killed out there." He said and for a moment I thought he was finally growing compassion in that black soul of his. However, his following sentence squashed any inkling of him having a heart. "The Enclave spent a lot of money, time, and resources on you. Don't waste it."

I could only nod without saying anything disrespectful in return and quickly left his office. It was already 2000 and I would leave in the morning after preparing a light travel bag with some equipment, food, supplies, and medical items. One of the advantages of being an officer was having my own room. Nothing like a little privacy and down time between killing deathclaws, mutants, and raiders to calm one's mind.

Quickly taking off the remainder of my modified hellfire armor, I stepped into the shower and considered my life for the next few months. It would be hell. The wasteland was merciless and unforgiving, swallowing up humans, mutants, and creatures alike. As the warm water washed the grime from my body, I closed my eyes and thought of my parents. Would they be proud of me? What did they think of me now? A fierce determination filled me as I thought of them. I'll make the wasteland a better place in their honor. Both of them.

**End Chapter 1**

**A/N: **The LW's name is a nod to two extraordinary Soldiers throughout history: _Alexander_ for Alexander III of Macedon (AKA Alexander the Great), and _Grant_ for Ulysses 'The Butcher' Grant, arguably one of the greatest generals of the American Civil War.

This story is massively A/U for obvious reasons. Most characters in this story are similar to how they were before encountering them in the original game. There might be some minor changes but that's what an author's perk is all about. Thanks for reading.


	2. A Brave New World

_Fallout and all canon characters are owned by Bethesda Softworks. No money or compensation is made from this story._

**PERFECT SOLDIERS**** a Fallout 3 A/U fanfiction. POV: 1****st**** Person LW**

**Summary: What if James worked for the Enclave from the beginning not knowing the sinister plot of President Eden? What if he mistakenly thought they were the best hope for humanity and the best shot at fulfilling his wife's dream? What if the Lone Wanderer is a Soldier of the Enclave…**

**Chapter 2: A Brave New World**

**Raven Rock 15 August 2278 0600 Hours**

The timeless blare of reveille on the loudspeakers woke me up from an otherwise restful sleep. Like countless others before me, I grumbled and cursed the soul of whoever invented that song to the deepest pits of hell. Realizing that my pillow wasn't going to keep the noise out, I reluctantly got out of bed and prepared for the mission ahead. Doing a quick scan of the room, my eyes landed on my travel gear and assault pack lying neatly in the corner.

The night before had been filled with packing and planning. My assault pack was full of non-perishable foods, stimpacks, rad-away, energy cells, and water. Next to it was my set of reinforced recon armor. It consisted of nothing more than a skintight bodysuit strengthened with advanced polymers at critical points to protect the wearer from small arms fire and blade attacks.

Moving on to my weapons, I carefully examine my choice of ranged and melee armaments. These would be my only friends for the foreseeable future and would no doubt save my life a countless number of times. I had spent over two hours the previous night painstakingly cleaning and tinkering with _Catherine_. The focus crystals and photon prisms were so pristine that it could turn even a super mutant into ash. Propped next to the chair was my trusted shock sword, a gift from my father on my twelfth birthday. He had given it to me when I received my acceptance notice into the Enclave military academy. I had no idea how he created such a weapon, but I could just as easily decapitate someone than paralyze them with charged static electricity on contact.

After properly adjusting my recon armor and slipping my arms into the sleeves, I shake my head in disgust at the outfit Colonel Autumn had given me the night before. With deliberate slowness, I pick up the rags and don them over my recon armor. The smell hits me immediately and it took massive control on my part not to gag. I guess I'll eventually get used to it. Looking into the mirror, I marvel at how changed my appearance is compared to any normal day.

Standing at just over 6 foot 1, and weighing a bit less than 185 pounds, I was by no means a muscular powerhouse like some of my fellow Soldiers. Instead, I relied on agility and finesse to deal killing blows to an unsuspecting enemy. Now that I didn't have the advantage of menacing hellfire armor to cause fear and intimidation, I looked like easy prey to marauding raiders and super mutants. I just hoped that I can deal with those threats when they come. In these filthy rags, I looked more in part the wasteland scavenger than professional Soldier. Guess that's a good thing right?

Attaching my weapons to my body and heaving the assault pack over my shoulders, I took one last glance at my room. Although there wasn't anything really personal in here, it had been my home for the last two years. It would be many months before I saw it again. "See ya later" I whispered at nothing in particular before stepping out the door.

As I walked towards the exit of Raven Rock, I received incredulous looks from almost everyone who laid eyes on me. Some new Soldiers who didn't recognize me laughed and jeered, but I paid them no mind. They would probably shit themselves if they knew who they were laughing at. I smiled to myself as I imagined the lot of them being assigned to my squad in the future.

The hot and humid wasteland air hit me immediately after I exited the concrete fortress. Another day, another mission, but this time I would be alone. Without a second thought, I glanced at my wrist computer and searched for the coordinates of the nearest large settlement. Paradise Falls, here I come.

**Silver Lining Drive-In, Northern Wasteland 15 August 2278 1630 Hours**

The trip to Paradise False is mostly uneventful so far. A few radscorpions and mole rats ended up turning into piles of ash blowing across the wasteland, but nothing too dangerous had accosted me so far. I knew my luck wouldn't hold out too long and I was proven correct. My luck ran out approximately two-thirds of the way to Paradise falls while I was wandering past what looked like a drive in movie theatre with a few ruined cars parked around it. Three Yao Guais appeared from seemingly nowhere and began stalking me from all sides.

I'd dealt with these before, but never three on one and certainly never without my armor. Feeling a slight trepidation, I gripped the handle of my laser pistol without making any sudden moves. The one directly to my front acted like the Alpha while the two others flanked me from both sides. Crap, this is not good. I was out in the open with no cover and enemies on all sides.

Deciding to take fate into my own hands, I drew my weapon and blasted the one to my left directly in the face with a searing laser beam. The beast didn't have a chance to react as its head disintegrated into powder, leaving its shell of a body to slowly fall towards the ground. Before I even had a chance to celebrate my kill, I was roughly mauled by the right Yao Guai.

His claw knocked me a good three feet in the air before I fell on my back with the wind knocked out of me. Shit! I lost my grip on the laser pistol and it flew somewhere behind me well out of reach. I desperately tried to scramble towards my weapon, but the Yao Guai was faster. He lunged forward and pinned me on the ground with his front left paw.

Looking up, I could see the blood red eyes of a deranged animal looking for its next meal. Sensing the end, it opened its jaw revealing jagged teeth and prepared to break my neck. Saliva dripped from its mouth and landed on my face. I didn't even register the disgust as adrenaline filled my body. I wouldn't let it end like this. Not by a damn animal!

A second before the Yao Guai made what would have been the killing blow, my right hand found its throat in a vain attempt to hold it back. I was nowhere near as strong as it was, but my goal was just to distract him. In the momentary rage it experienced at having a hand at its throat, I drew my shock sword with my left hand and using all my strength, stabbed it in the skull.

The howl of pain was cut short as electricity paralyzed it before it succumbed to the wound. While I was so busy trying to avoid imminent death and killing the second Yao Guai, I had completely ignored the Alpha. Not two seconds after I kicked the carcass of the second Yao Guai off of me, the Alpha roared in rage and lunged at me from my exposed left.

This was it. I had no weapons, no armor, and no way to defend myself. I quietly stared at my doom in the form of an airborne Yao Guai. However, fate had other plans and before it could claw me into ground meat, a burst of 5mm rounds slammed into it from behind. Howling in anger, it turned to the new threat and charged head on. I propped myself up on my elbows to glance at my savior and my jaw dropped.

Two people in old black and crimson power armor were standing by the car heaps. One was armed with a shoulder fire missile launcher and the other a minigun. The minigun was currently flinging lead at an obscene rate into the now grievously injured Yao Guai. Before the beast could even make it halfway to the newcomers, it collapsed in a heap, dead and unmoving.

Let's see… Knowledge of wearing power armor? Armed with big guns? Possessing the skill to wield such weapons accurately? Definitely the Brotherhood of Steel.

Calming down my racing heart and quick breathing, I retrieve both my shock sword and _Catherine_ before making my way towards my saviors. I've read numerous briefings on this 'terrorist' organization and wanted to see if the reports were true. Surely such an evil organization wouldn't bother saving an average wastelander in trouble? Perhaps they were simply killing the creature because they knew it would attack them after it killed me. I walk towards the one with the missile launcher and try to be friendly.

"Hey thanks for the assist ba-" I began but was cut off by a gruff male voice filtered through the power armor helmet.

"Get the hell out of my face wastelander! Don't you have rocks to bang together or something?" the venom laced voice replied. The shock on my face must have been obvious as the minigun carrying Brotherhood Soldier cut off any reply I was about to make.

"You're ruining our day," came the filtered voice of a female. "Scram before you regret it."

I shake my head in disbelief at their rudeness. I guess all the reports coming in about these guys were true. They were all a bunch of pricks playing around with what President Eden correctly described as antiquated technology. "So much for common courtesy," I mutter as I step past them. I didn't make it three steps before the one with the missile launcher stopped me.

"Hey wastelander!" He yells and I turn half expecting an apology. "Give us your laser pistol!"

"Wha-"

"Don't play stupid!" He continues. "We saw you use it against the damn Yao Guai. Hand it over and you won't get hurt."

My face hardens as I realize what kind of people I'm dealing with. Not only are they extremely arrogant, rude, and demanding, but on top of that they were thieves as well! Nothing more than a bunch of fucking raiders with high tech gear…

"And if I refuse?" I bite out facing the one who made demands while watching the other from the corner of my eye. I can almost imagine his feral grin underneath the helmet as he responds.

"Then you'll see firsthand what we do to trash like you."

Trash? Ok now this was getting personal.

"You have three seconds to hand it over," he demanded.

My body tensed and I could feel the adrenaline coming back.

"One."

I quickly came up with a plan that was crazy enough to work.

"Two."

This was it. I didn't wait for him to utter the last number before flying into action. Miniguns take approximately a second and a half after the trigger is pulled before ejecting the first rounds. That amount of time was all I needed. Drawing my recently recovered sword, I lunged towards the one with the missile launcher and shoulder check him. Already off balance from holding the heavy launcher, he sways briefly to the left leaving his side unguarded. That was the only opening I needed as I plunged my blade into the vulnerable part of his neck between helmet and armor. Blood squirts out in huge quantities accompanied by a dying gurgle as the missile launcher falls off his shoulder harmlessly to the ground.

"You bastard!" the female yells while opening up with her minigun. The second and a half firing delay allowed me to grab the power armored body of her fallen comrade for cover. Moving as quick as I could while lugging around a corpse, I take cover behind the nearest car before tossing the body to one side. 5mm rounds are hitting the car from different angles and I can tell she's trying to flank me. I look under the hollowed out frame and see her feet approaching from the right side. Another crazy idea pops in my head and I smile grimly while waiting for her to reload.

As I expected, she began to reload before making the final sweep around the car. Using the precious few seconds I had, I roll underneath the car and grab the missile launcher. As luck would have it, she continues to try and flank my old position. By the time she realizes where I am, it's too late. A missile has her locked in and closing. I turn away to shield myself from the blast, but the concussion knocks me on my face. It takes me a few seconds to gather my bearing, but I get up to survey the damage. A gruesome scene awaits me as I step around the car.

The Brotherhood Soldier was flung twenty feet back into the wreckage of another car. The twisted metal of the ruined minigun lay by her feet along with her left arm which was blown off at the shoulder. Her helmet cracked in two and her head bled profusely. Amazingly though, she was still alive. I approached her cautiously with _Catherine_ drawn and an internal battle of wills being fought on whether I should attempt to save her life. Before I could say anything, however, she taunts me.

"Y-you… you'll pay for this…" she mutters weakly. "I'll k-kill you! You and all the other wasteland scum…"

Scum? After trying to rob me and threatening to kill me, she has the audacity to call me scum? A primal rage ignited within me as I thought about this murdering band of robbers harassing and killing innocent travelers. There would be no mercy.

"Burn in hell you Brotherhood bitch!" I screamed before searing her head with a point blank concentrated laser blast. Her head and upper torso disintegrated leaving only the hollow shell of her armored legs.

As I stare at the charred remains of my enemy, the inner fury slowly dwindled before turning into righteous anger. The Brotherhood of Steel had made a deadly enemy today. With revenge and eradication on my mind, I picked up my assault pack, retrieved my sword, and continued on my journey.

**Paradise Falls 15 August 2278 1930 Hours**

By the time I arrived at Paradise Falls, my anger had subsided and I could once again think clearly about my primary mission. The colonel wanted me to spread goodwill for the Enclave without revealing who I was. I tried to think of ways to build up the Enclave's reputation, but couldn't come up with anything. Perhaps I should get people to like me first before bringing up anything about them.

As I approached the main gate of Paradise Falls, I realized that I knew next to nothing about the place. Were the inhabitants welcoming? Did they allow random individuals entrance to their city? A feeling of foreboding washed over me as I saw the razor wire fences and guard towers. It almost looked as if it were designed to keep people from escaping…

I squared my shoulders as I approached the guards at the entrance. Both were heavily armed, and I had no doubt they knew how to use their weapons. The one sitting down took one look at me and grimaced.

"What the hell do you want?" He demanded before I could greet him. The look on his face told me that he thought I was more offensive than the mole rat shit he stepped in that morning. His hands were slowly reaching for his weapon and I choose my next words carefully.

"I'm just passing through." I replied with my hands out in an attempt to placate him. "Just looking for a place to rest and maybe do some trading."

"Just passing through?" He demanded with a sneer. "What the fuck kind of place do you think this is? A damn hotel?"

"Well I-"

"You DO know what kind of place Paradise Falls is don't you?" He said with wide eyes. When I didn't respond immediately, he threw his head back in laughter. "Hey Randy! Get a load of this shit! Guy here just wants to _rest _in Paradise Falls! He has no idea what this place is!"

The other guard chortles with amusement at my expense. "Haha good one Grouse. Maybe we should let him _rest_ in one of the spare pens. Or maybe Eulogy can put him in the box!"

Getting a bit pissed, I was about to inquire what kind of place this was when a scream came from behind the guards. I looked behind them to see an extremely emaciated woman running towards me with a wild look in her eyes and arms flailing.

"Help me-" she started to shout but was cut short as her head suddenly exploded. I stared in shock as bits and pieces of her skull and brain splashed against the guard rails nearby. What the hell was that?

My surprise must have shown because Grouse instantly commented on it. "What's the matter dipshit? Never seen a slave collar activate before?"

"Slave collar?"

"Are you retarded? This here is the largest slave trading facility in the capital wasteland!" He shouted as I let the facts sink in. Realization dawned on my face as Grouse continued, "You've got no business here buddy. Get the fuck out of here before I put a collar on you and toss you in the slave pens!"

I nodded wordlessly and turned to walk away from the God forsaken place. How could anyone with any kind of conscience let a place like that stand? Taking one more glance at the sinister walls surrounding the city, I made a solemn promise to myself. As soon as I complete my mission, I'll return here with my squad and slaughter every last one of those slavers. There would be no mercy.

**A/N: Yes I know Outcasts and regular Brotherhood aren't the same, but the LW doesn't know that. All he saw was people in power armor with big weapons trying to kill him. Distinguishing between them will come much later.**

**LW may appear a bit naïve, but keep in mind that growing up like he did is very similar to growing up in a vault: sheltered from the harsh realities of the wasteland. The only major difference is that he can fight.**

**Once again, thank you for reading my story.**


	3. Steep Learning Curve

_Fallout and all canon characters are owned by Bethesda Softworks. No money or compensation is made from this story._

**PERFECT SOLDIERS**** a Fallout 3 A/U fanfiction. POV: 1****st**** Person LW**

**Summary: What if James worked for the Enclave from the beginning not knowing the sinister plot of President Eden? What if he mistakenly thought they were the best hope for humanity and the best shot at fulfilling his wife's dream? What if the Lone Wanderer is a Soldier of the Enclave…**

**Chapter 3: Steep Learning Curve**

**Germantown Police HQ 16 AUG 2278 1030**

After a restless night of sleep in a hillside cave near Paradise Falls, I continued in the same general direction of travel as before. The previous night gave me time to contemplate some things about the wasteland, and none of it good. My first day on the mission was a complete disaster. I had been mauled by radioactive bears, mugged by the Brotherhood, and wandered carelessly into a slaver stronghold. My supply of energy cells were slowly being depleted, and at this rate, I would only have a few more days worth of burning enemies to a crisp before being forced to swap to more mundane weapons. On top of all that, I still hadn't discovered how anyone felt about the Enclave.

Shaking my head to clear the depressing thoughts, I continued onward until I heard the distinctive grunts and stutters of supermutant speech. I quickly hid behind a rock and planned my next move. Mutants were relatively common in the wastes, and some of them carried gear worth looting. However, this was the first time I was faced with these monstrosities without my armor and squad backing me up. Guess I'll just have to play it by ear.

"Can't wait eat human." One of them grunted as they walked by the rock I was hiding from. As I watched them pass, I quickly calculated my chances of taking them on by myself. There were only two of them with one carrying a Chinese assault rifle while the other had a huge hammer. Not the best armed mutants, but still a threat nonetheless.

"Me hungry. Hurry to basement and eat." The other replied and I froze at their words. Either they had live hostages in that stronghold of theirs or they were finishing up leftover human corpses from earlier meals. My instinct screamed the former and I frantically tried to determine the proper course of action. Should I attempt a rescue operation? Every part of my tactical side screamed at me for being retarded, but a small hidden part of me considered what my father would have said given the circumstances. The people being held might already be dead, but it was an absolute certainty if I didn't do something.

'_Get those people out of there' _I imagine my father saying. _'And be careful son.'_

Besides, I reasoned with myself, I was here on a mission to build rapport, and nothing built it like saving someone's ass from mutants. Quietly taking out a frag grenade from my pouch, I pull the pin and toss it over to the mutants. As luck would have it, the grenade lands right underneath the assault rifle toting mutant before exploding.

From behind the rock, I can hear screams of agony and rage. I peek from my hiding position to see the damage and grin. The mutant with the assault rifle had its left leg blown off and was screaming in pain while bleeding profusely with rifle out of reach. The other mutant was blown back a good five feet but was still clutching his hammer. Well, here goes nothing. In order for me to conserve the precious few energy cells I had left, I drew my blade and charged into the smoke.

Before the hammer welding mutant could recover, I leaped on its comrade and planted my boot in its throat. It opened its mouth to yell obscenities, but I shut it up with a quick sword stab into the esophagus. Blood and gurgling sounds escaped it before it started convulsing. Seeing its fellow mutant in such a state threw the other mutant into a frenzy as it raised the hammer and tried to crush me. I waited until the last minute before jumping out of the way as the hammer downswing arc missed me by inches before crushing the skull of the mutant I had been standing on.

"Arrrghh!" It screamed before raising the huge hammer for another blow. The thing was still in pain from the grenade blast and I could tell it was tiring out from the exertions of swinging the massive melee weapon. A few more artful dodges later, I saw an opening and took it. The mutant dangerously overextended itself with a two handed swing. I wasted no time in bringing down my blade with all my might and severed both of his arms by the elbow. The hammer fell softly to the ground, two unattached mutant arms with it.

It was a pathetic sight. The mutant howled in agony and stared at the two nubs unable to comprehend that it had no forearms or hands. Still, the mutant thought it could win and decided to charge with what was left of both arms swinging. I met his charge head on and plunged my sword into its stomach before grasping the handle with both hands and heaving upwards. The blade broke through its sternum and vital organs killing it instantly.

Calming my rapid breathing and feeling the adrenaline leave me, I took position behind a nearby sign to see if these two had any friends nearby. After a minute, I wandered back to the kill zone and looted the corpses for everything they had. It wasn't much. I netted a Chinese assault rifle in poor quality, some spare 5.56mm rounds, two frag grenades, and some strange meat. I didn't want to chance my health with irradiated meat so I tossed it back on the ground and started towards the main building.

The outside of the building was in ruins like all the other buildings in the wasteland, but the foundation still stood strong. A nearby sign proclaimed it as the _Germantown Police Headquarters 'To Protect and Serve'_. I highly doubt that they meant serving human flesh to mutants so I chambered a clip into my new assault rifle before proceeding to the door. Shit! It was locked and I sucked at picking locks. Not only that, I didn't have any bobby pins to pick with. Oh well, dynamic entry it is.

I checked to make sure my laser pistol was loaded and accessible, sword sheathed properly, and assault rifle at the ready before jamming a frag grenade near the door lock. This has got to be the most retarded thing I have ever done, I thought to myself as I pulled the pin and hid behind a nearby dumpster. I was going in guns blazing without backup or any real alternative plan, but it was too late to back out now. The subsequent explosion nearly blew the door off its hinges. Before the smoke cleared, I ran headfirst into the building with rifle at ready.

The blast must have surprised the mutants inside, as the one closest to the door stared at me dumbly for a few seconds before reaching for his nail bat. Using the distraction to my advantage, I lunged forward and butt stroked him in the face with all the forward momentum I had. Its head whipped backwards exposing the chin and poorly protected neck. A quick dual three round burst to the head and neck dropped him faster than the Brotherhood would a .32 caliber pistol.

I was about to focus on the mutant further away when a beam of searing light scorched my rags and narrowly missed my shoulder. Oh shit… overlord! I returned fire immediately and ducked into the room on the left while I heard my bullets bounce off the pieces of metal the overlord strung around his body. Crap, this was not good. Those tri-beam laser rifles would roast me alive reinforced recon armor or not. I wouldn't even go toe to toe with one wearing my modified hellfire armor.

Looking around frantically, I tried to find a place where I could ambush it but it was still too open in this room. I noticed one of the human captives wearing a red jumper trying to get my attention from a holding cell, but I ignored her. Rescue could wait until after I secured the area. There! The bathroom further down the hall was a perfect place to take shelter and fire from. The overlord's footsteps were getting closer and I made haste to my next defensive position.

"Hey you piece of Yao Guai excrement! Over here!" I yell at the overlord to get his attention. Sure enough, I'm answered by laser beams as it fires and runs to where I'm hiding. A crazy plan forms in my head, and I grab a nearby item while waiting for the mutant. As the overlord stoops to clear the doorframe, I jam the plunger I had directly onto his face and made sure it stuck before I fell back flat onto the ground. Its screams of rage are muffled by the plunger and it fires wildly into the room with beams flying harmlessly over my prone body. From my position on the ground, I had a perfect angle of fire to his exposed midsection, and emptied an entire magazine into him.

To my surprise, he's still alive and dangerous after taking over twenty rounds of 5.56 to the midsection. Guess it's time to break out the big guns. I pull out _Catherine_ and proceed to unload my entire energy cell where the bullets had struck moments before. At first I thought the overlord was somehow absorbing the laser beams until he started glowing an unnatural orange, the telltale sign of disintegration. Sure enough, bits and pieces of it start turning into ash and soon there wasn't anything left of the mutant.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I got up to inspect the ash pile and loot it for any goodies. First and foremost was the plunger that saved my ass. I reverently place it back into a nearby toilet. After grabbing the tri-beam laser rifle, some micro fusion cells, stimpacks, and a mini-nuke of all things, I found what appeared to be a key. Maybe this was for the cell where I saw the lady in red earlier. Only one way to prove that theory. I made my way over to the prisoner who was looking at me with wide eyes.

"Holy shit, you killed them!" She exclaimed before quickly shaking her head and calming down. "Did Dusty send you?"

"Nope. Nobody sent me." I said while trying to fit the key into the lock. Bingo! One unlocked jail cell. "I just overheard some mutants discussing their dinner plans and decided to invite myself over. Guess that was you?"

The lady just shivered at her implied fate. "Probably. My name's Red, and the mutants snatched a few friends and I from Big Town. I think Shorty is still alive in the basement. You have to go save him!"

I nodded and checked her over for injuries. She seemed unharmed but looked like shit from captivity. "I'm Alex. You any good in a fight?"

"Not really," Red replied immediately. "But I am a doctor. How about I wait here until you get back?"

That was probably the best idea at the moment. I didn't need dead weight slowing me down while wandering around picking fights with mutants. I told her to stay put in the cell before walking off to find the basement door. The tri-beam laser rifle felt awkward in my hand since I usually preferred energy pistols, but I had enough training to be a fairly decent shot.

After five minutes of looting the first floor for everything I could carry, I finally found the basement door tucked away by a corner of the building. Drawing a deep breath, I opened the door and quietly snuck in.

There weren't any mutant guards in sight, but the surroundings were equally nauseating. Corpses and mutilated organs hung from the ceiling in nets. Some were so fresh that blood dripped from them into a puddle on the floor. The smell alone made me want to gag. These mutants were really some sick bastards who needed to be vaporized.

"I'm telling you, if you eat me you'll have indigestion." A human voice said from a few rooms down the hall. "I promise I taste horrible!"

"Quiet human. You dinner." Came the unmistakable grunt of a mutant. Following the voices past another room and into a dim corridor, I could see the mutant's shadow lingering just ahead.

"Shouldn't you catch someone with more meat? I'm just skin and bones." The captive tried to reason again. I was tempted to stay hidden and listen to more humorous excuses before deciding to intervene. The mutant had its back to me and the captive was hogtied and blindfolded. This was going to be easy. I snuck behind the mutant and aimed the barrel of my laser rifle to the back of its skull before pulling the trigger repeatedly. His didn't even have time to scream before his head and upper torso disintegrated without fanfare.

"Is someone there? What's happening?" The captive asked after hearing my rifle discharge. I looted what was left of the mutant corpse before removing his blindfold.

"You Shorty?" I inquired as I cut away his ropes with a combat knife recently gifted to me by a mutant. He looks at me, the tri-beam laser rifle in my hand, the pile of ash, and grin widely.

"Hell yeah! Thanks for the rescue. Who sent you here?"

"Red said you were going to be down here, but I really just stumbled onto her by accident. Consider this your lucky day." I reply while reloading my weapon. Shorty stretches his limbs before asking about his friend.

"Is she ok? There were a bunch of us but I think we were the only two left alive."

"Yeah, she's up top. Let's get the hell out of here."

"No arguments from me!" He says while falling in behind me. We backtrack to the door I came in earlier while cautiously looking out for any additional big, green, and uglies. Lucky for us, there weren't any. It takes only a few minutes before we arrived at Red's cell, and she sighs with relief seeing Shorty alive and unharmed.

"Hey Red! Am I glad to see you!" Shorty exclaims after seeing his friend then turns to me. "Can you escort us back to Big Town? There might still be some mutants outside and I don't have any weapons."

I thought for a moment before nodding. It would be in my best interest anyway. I still had to gather information and maybe do some trading with the loot I scrounged up. The two of them looked eager to get home, and we quickly left the police station.

**Big Town 16 AUG 2278 1500**

The trip to Red and Shorty's home was mostly uneventful. A few critters learned the hard way not to bother us from the business end of my tri-beam laser rifle and Chinese pistols I gave my two companions to protect themselves with. While not terribly exciting fighting wise, I managed to learn a treasure trove of information from the two Big Towners. Both were extremely grateful for my intervention and answered any questions I had about the wasteland to the best of their ability.

I learned that they were originally from a place called Little Lamplight to the west. It was a cave ruled and governed by kids who kicked out their fellow citizens at the age of 16. Not a great way to be introduced to the wasteland, but the rule has been in place for as long as either of them could remember. I also learned that the Brotherhood had a heavy presence in DC and owned a propaganda radio network called Galaxy News Radio. The mouthpiece was some guy named Three Dog who would saturate the airwaves with the Brotherhood's '_noble' _exploits fighting the good fight. What a crock of shit. Maybe I should head over to DC next and blow up their transmitter?

It was disturbing to learn that neither Red nor Shorty thought much of the Enclave. Even with President Eden's cheerful radio addresses and pledge to help Americans everywhere, they were extremely skeptical about the existence of any organization with a capacity to help. Red even thought the eyebots were on a permanent broadcast loop since before the Great War! Upon further questioning and information fishing, I confirmed that neither would be against an Enclave presence to help the towns and settlements of the wasteland. They would even go as far as supporting it if it meant protection from mutants, raiders, and slavers.

By the time I finished my questioning, I think both of them suspected I had some kind of connection with the Enclave. Unlike originally planned, however, I didn't deny it. The seeds of trust had to sprout from somewhere, and I had a feeling that Big Town would become a place my squad and I could find shelter for a night sometime if need be.

"Yes! We're home!" Shorty exclaimed after we set foot in Big Town. The residents all came out to greet the two missing captives. It was an odd menagerie of settlers, but I could tell that they were all friends or at least knew each other well.

"Thanks for the help." Red said to me after greeting her friends. "But I have one more favor to ask. Can you help us defend ourselves? You can definitely handle yourself out there, but not many of us have fighting experience."

"Sure," I agreed quickly. Teaching this town to defend itself would help me in the long run and I already considered Shorty and Red acquaintances if not friends. "Gather everyone who has a gun and I'll teach you how to use it properly."

Red smiled and nodded before going to gather everyone near the back of the town. I spent the next two hours honing various skill sets of marksmanship, breathing, trigger squeeze, sight picture, and weapon maintenance. No sooner had I concluded their lesson when two mutants wielding nail bats charged through the front bridge. I sat back with my laser rifle ready to jump in if need be, but I wanted to see if the townspeople learned anything.

The security guy Dusty led the charge with his shotgun blazing while Red and another resident followed behind him as backup. Shorty and the remainder of the town took cover behind barrels, buildings, and burned out cars while aiming their pistols and rifles. One by one, they fired at the mutants with deadly accuracy. Thirty seconds after the fight began, the mutants lay dead and the residents let out a massive cheer.

"We did it!" Red whooped and ran over to me excitedly. She was smiling widely, and was actually quite pretty underneath all the dirt and grime accumulated from her time in captivity. "Thanks Alex!"

"No sweat," I chuckled. "Keep practicing to make sure your skills stay sharp. The next raiding or slaver party might be in for a big shock."

"Definitely. Are you going to stay a while? Where are you off to next?"

I thought about it for a second before shaking my head. "Where's the nearest big settlement? I need to buy some things I couldn't find in this town."

"Probably Megaton," She says after thing for a few seconds. After entering the location on my wrist computer she steps back and smiles again. "You're always welcome here. You and any of your friends."

I smile back clearly understanding her underlying message. My 'friends' were the Enclave, and we would be cordially greeted if we made an appearance. With one last nod in her direction, I heave my assault pack on my shoulders and follow my map route to Megaton, eagerly wanting to continue my mission as Enclave ambassador to the wasteland.

**A/N: And so the LW continues his wasteland ambassadorship. The further south he travels, however, the more he will have to contend with the Brotherhood's presence. Sooner or later, he'll have to resort to laser rifle diplomacy. **

**As always, thank you for reading my story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


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